Compiling a list of "neo-retro" hardware

From: Ethan Dicks <dickset_at_amanda.spole.gov>
Date: Wed Jun 16 21:22:38 2004

On Wed, Jun 16, 2004 at 05:41:19PM -0700, Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
>
> I'd like to create a resource listing of all the neo-retro hardware being
> developed today.
>
> For example:
>
> - IDE or CF interfaces for the Apple ][ and other 8-bits,

Got one of those (HDD-64 IDE interface for the C-64). I use mine
with a 20MB HP Kittyhawk drive (1.3").

> - Vince's M452X and W076X PDP-8 replacement boards

I have some of those that I haven't been home to assemble yet. I'd wanted
to make a 300-baud-multiple crystal controlled clock for my PDP-8/L since
about 1984, but never got around to it... I'm happy Vince did the hard work
of layout and PCB manufacture.

> - Bob Armstrong's SBC6120

Got a couple of those, too...

Hmm... I must be a neo-retro-classicist. :-)

Would the 2003-pressing of the Dragon's Lair LaserDisc count? I built my own
Dragon's Lair/Space Ace LED scoreboard from scratch, but I know some people who
bought a hobby-commercial one. That certainly should count. There's a lot of
neo-retro accessories in the video game crowd, especially with DL and SA (complete
cabinets, LaserDisc hardware adapters to use modern LD players with original
board sets, etc.)

I forget who, but someone has built a one-off DF-32 implementation in TTL with
a Dallas battery-backed NVRAM (like a large version of the NVRAM found in SPARC
boxes). There seems to be an implementation bug, so it doesn't work perfectly
with original software, but you can write new stuff from scratch that works
well (there was some sense that was flipped between a DF-32 and the RF-08, it's
related to that, somehow).

There's a new TTL-based 1802 implementation (with toggles and TIL-311s), with
two expansions so far, a keypad and a RS-232 level shifter/RAM/NVRAM board.

I've also seen a project to hang a 3c509 off of a VIC-20.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head for neo-retro stuff. Can't
wait to hear what other people come up with.

-ethan







> So basically, I'd like to know about any new hardware (and I guess
> software) being developed and/or sold for vintage computers. I'm going to
> compile a directory for this stuff and I also have other plans that may or
> may not come to fruition.
>
> I imagine you can post them to the list since it might be useful for other
> folks to know about these projects, but please copy me directly
> <sellam_at_vintage.org>.
>
> Thanks!
>
> --
>
> Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
>
> [ Old computing resources for business || Buy/Sell/Trade Vintage Computers ]
> [ and academia at www.VintageTech.com || at http://marketplace.vintage.org ]

-- 
Ethan Dicks, A-130-S      Current South Pole Weather at 17-Jun-2004 02:10 Z
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Received on Wed Jun 16 2004 - 21:22:38 BST

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